Join us for a screening of the classic film "Singing' In the Rain" about theon- and off-screen lives of two dancing film stars.Year released: 1952. Directors: Gene Kelly and Stanley Donen. Starring: Gene Kelly, Donald O’Connor,and Debbie Reynolds. SMC Film Studies professorJosh Kanin and SMC Dance Department chair JudithDouglas will moderate an audience discussionfollowing the screening. Sponsored by the SMCAssociates (www.smc.edu/associates) and SMCDance Department (www.smc.edu/dance).Seating is limited.

Masters of Dance Series

Andrew Vaca (Jazz/Modern)

Thursday September 29th, 2016, 10:15-12:15 in Gym 104

Andrew Vaca began teaching at CSULB in 1999 after teaching at UCLA, Scripps College, Sacramento State University, and the Orange County High School of the Arts. He holds a B.A. degree in Communication Studies from Sacramento State University and an M.F.A. in Dance from UCLA. In the Department of Dance, Professor Vaca is known as the “jazz dance specialist”, teaching jazz technique classes regularly. Vaca has danced with the UCLA Dance Company, Ririe-Woodbury Dance Company, Keith Johnson/Dancers, Body talk, and Roman Dance Theatre. As a choreographer, Vaca is known in the worlds of both sports entertainment and concert dance. Vaca has choreographed award-winning material for dance teams in California, Idaho, Tennessee, Texas, and Utah, presented at numerous professional dance team conventions, and has choreographed for the Texas All-State Dance Team and the Drill Team Directors of America All-Star Dance Team. Currently, Vaca is a Dance Department Chair and a Professor at the California State University Long Beach.

Class Description: This class will explore modern Jazz dance technique which includes movements from dance style that has always been associated with popular culture and changed over time in parallel with the music and styles of entertainment. The class will focus on the use of rhythm, dynamics, space, and energy, as well as creative self expression.

Company and Versa-Style Next Generation, a Hip-hop dance company that is dedicated to the preservation of street dance culture. For the last 18 years, Jackie has been working as a professional dancer, choreographer, teaching artist and cultural educator who has worked with students and artists of all ages from LA, NYC, Philly, Israel, United Kingdom, Columbia, France and India. She currently is Adjunct Lecturer at UCLA’s Dept. of World Arts and Cultures teaching Hip-hop dance and is the Director of the UCLA Summer Dance/Performing Arts Intensive for high school students. She is also currently the Executive Director for The Flourish Foundation, which is non-profit private philanthropic organization, which begun as a response to lack of funding in the arts.

Class description: Participants will learn hip-hop social dances from the early 90s to the modern era, which will then be compiled into an exciting hip-hop social experience and choreography. Through the demonstration and practice of these movements, students will gain more awareness of the true essence of hip-hop dance and its history. Students will then be encouraged to share these movements in social settings, thus becoming a part of hip-hop dance culture. Come get down, learn some foundation and add to flavor to your freestyle!!

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Marie-France Levesque (Classical Ballet)

Wednesday November 16th, 2016, 10:15-12:15 in Gym 104

Born in Montreal, Canada, Marie-France Levesque has trained and worked as a dancer and teacher

for 40 years with a legendary array of illustrious master ballet teachers, star dancers, and famous choreographers including: Mikhail Baryshnikov, Rudolph Nureyev, Natalia Makarova, Irina Kolpakova, Lar Lubovitch, Agnes De Mille, Sir Kenneth Mac Millan, and Twlya Tharp. After performing soloist and principal roles for three years with Les Grands Ballets Canadiens, Levesque was recruited by Mikhail Baryshnikov in 1985 to join the American Ballet Theatre and danced under his directorship for 11 years. Since relocation to the Los Angeles area in 1996, Levesque has performed as a guest artist across the US and Canada. She has also choreographed and taught for 20 years at the highest level of professional instruction in classical ballet. Levesque is now on faculty of Dance at the prestigious elite “Viewpointe Private School” in Los Angeles and has been one of the regular teachers for the Sunday Intensives for the American Ballet Theatre William J. Gillespie School at Segerstrom Center for the Arts.

Class description: This class will explore Ms. Levesque’s unique style and approach rooted in a strong classical base. This master class is designed for the students at the advanced level of ballet technique.